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You need to realize that you like Kagi exactly because it has NOT been "succeeded", and you start to dislike DDG because it finally picks up popularity. Anythi

You need to realize that you like Kagi exactly because it has NOT been "succeeded", and you start to dislike DDG because it finally picks up popularity. Anything in the world that's used by large amount of users are guaranteed to piss off some portion of them, because they can only focus on limited amount of features. Google had been like that. Firefox had been like that. When 70% of Firefox users are non-techies, Firefox has to start focus on the privacy niche to survive. Then the rest 30% vocal techies all start to protest and saying Mozilla has lost its direction and hope to regain market share. When Kagi starts to gain popularity, I guarantee you they will start to polarize on their features, some of which you won't like, regardless of their business model, because the (majority) users they are catering to are also paid users, same as you. Only when they have only small amount of users could all of such be homogeneous enough so that every single feature they dish out is something you like.

rippercushions 3y ago
Not the previous poster, but I'm a paid subscriber of Kagi and was previously a heavy user of DDG. The key difference that the previous poster outlined and you're missing is that with Kagi, you're the customer, while with DDG, you're the product. Kagi is thus incentivized to improve their offering to better fit your needs as a user, while DDG is incentivized to better serve their customers the advertisers.
- fsckboy 3y ago
  neither the previous poster, but I'm not missing what was said, but are you missing that paying a subscription for something, if it becomes popular, becomes an irresistible audience to also advertise to? Have you seen Amazon Prime video lately? it becomes more and more festooned with ads, like happened to cable TV. Pay a subscription, and watch ads, or promotions, or product placements. They're drunk on it.
  - rippercushions 3y ago
    Kagi doesn't have any ads, and serves an audience that is so opposed to ads that they'll pay for the privilege. Sure, in 10 or 20 years that may change, but for now I don't seem them changing that and taking away their single biggest differentiator.
  - Super_Jambo 3y ago
    If Kagi adds ads I'll leave it.
    - red-iron-pine 3y ago
      There is a level of ad I'm willing to tolerate. 20 seconds before a YT vid -- yeah maybe. Every 2 minutes during the vid? Not so happy. ditto for a paid search. something on the side of the page, or something that's in the middle of results but still clearly an ad... maybe.
    - fsckboy 3y ago
      if Kagi becomes popular, losing the early subscribers is just a drop from their bucket
Dalewyn 3y ago
>Firefox had been like that. When 70% of Firefox users are non-techies, Firefox has to start focus on the privacy niche to survive. Non-techies don't give a damn about privacy.
- ColinHayhurst 3y ago
  This is simply not true. I say this based on direct research, with users of our no-tracking search engine.
  - Dalewyn 3y ago
    Non-techies use Microsoft, Apple, and Google accounts. Non-techies use Chrome over Firefox. Non-techies use Windows and MacOS over Linux. Non-techies use smartphones over phones. Non-techies use smart TVs over TVs. Non-techies use social media and have accounts using their real names. I reiterate: Non-techies don't give a damn about privacy.
    - yesco 3y ago
      You're wrong, they do care about privacy, just at a superficial level. This means that advertising a service as "privacy-oriented" is a positive feature for the normies, but only if it's convenient. It's kinda like the cruelty-free labels on shampoo.
    - autoexec 3y ago
      Non-techies have a poor understanding of the risks, little awareness of privacy protecting alternatives, and a lack of confidence in installing and using new software. It's not that they don't care about their privacy.
plaguepilled 3y ago
I reject the premise that OP dislikes the product because it succeeded, instead of their stated reasons. Also, saying 'no, this is why you think what you do' is not cool.
slim 3y ago
DDG is just Bing. nobody wants evil microsoft search

rippercushions 3y ago

Not the previous poster, but I'm a paid subscriber of Kagi and was previously a heavy user of DDG. The key difference that the previous poster outlined and you're missing is that with Kagi, you're the customer, while with DDG, you're the product. Kagi is thus incentivized to improve their offering to better fit your needs as a user, while DDG is incentivized to better serve their customers the advertisers.

fsckboy 3y ago
neither the previous poster, but I'm not missing what was said, but are you missing that paying a subscription for something, if it becomes popular, becomes an irresistible audience to also advertise to? Have you seen Amazon Prime video lately? it becomes more and more festooned with ads, like happened to cable TV. Pay a subscription, and watch ads, or promotions, or product placements. They're drunk on it.
- rippercushions 3y ago
  Kagi doesn't have any ads, and serves an audience that is so opposed to ads that they'll pay for the privilege. Sure, in 10 or 20 years that may change, but for now I don't seem them changing that and taking away their single biggest differentiator.
- Super_Jambo 3y ago
  If Kagi adds ads I'll leave it.
  - red-iron-pine 3y ago
    There is a level of ad I'm willing to tolerate. 20 seconds before a YT vid -- yeah maybe. Every 2 minutes during the vid? Not so happy. ditto for a paid search. something on the side of the page, or something that's in the middle of results but still clearly an ad... maybe.
  - fsckboy 3y ago
    if Kagi becomes popular, losing the early subscribers is just a drop from their bucket

Dalewyn 3y ago

>Firefox had been like that. When 70% of Firefox users are non-techies, Firefox has to start focus on the privacy niche to survive. Non-techies don't give a damn about privacy.

ColinHayhurst 3y ago
This is simply not true. I say this based on direct research, with users of our no-tracking search engine.
- Dalewyn 3y ago
  Non-techies use Microsoft, Apple, and Google accounts. Non-techies use Chrome over Firefox. Non-techies use Windows and MacOS over Linux. Non-techies use smartphones over phones. Non-techies use smart TVs over TVs. Non-techies use social media and have accounts using their real names. I reiterate: Non-techies don't give a damn about privacy.
  - yesco 3y ago
    You're wrong, they do care about privacy, just at a superficial level. This means that advertising a service as "privacy-oriented" is a positive feature for the normies, but only if it's convenient. It's kinda like the cruelty-free labels on shampoo.
  - autoexec 3y ago
    Non-techies have a poor understanding of the risks, little awareness of privacy protecting alternatives, and a lack of confidence in installing and using new software. It's not that they don't care about their privacy.

plaguepilled 3y ago

I reject the premise that OP dislikes the product because it succeeded, instead of their stated reasons. Also, saying 'no, this is why you think what you do' is not cool.

slim 3y ago

DDG is just Bing. nobody wants evil microsoft search